Farin Urlaub

Jan Vetter, better known as Farin Urlaub (like German "Fahr in Urlaub!" ("Go on vacation!"), after his love of travelling) was born on October 27, 1963 in what was then West Berlin, Germany. He is best known as the guitarist/vocalist for the German band Die Ã„rzte.

Vetter lived with his mother in a flat in the Moabit district of Berlin up to the age of seven, and in Frohnau up to the age of 18. His parents were low-paid civil servants, and he has a younger half-sister called Julia. His mother often played records by The Beatles, and as such he was introduced to music at a young age.

At nine years he decided to take guitar lessons with an elderly woman who taught him classical standards. He played guitar at the holiday camps which he visited. Ironically, his later music teacher advised him: "Whatever you do when you grow up, don't do anything with music!" At the age of 16, Vetter went on a school trip to London, and returned home as a punk with dyed blonde hair.

In 1980 he met Dirk Felsenheimer (later known as Bela B.) in the punk club Ballhaus Spandau and joined his band Soilent GrÃ...